Renee moves right up next to the
boy. She puts her hand on his hot forehead.
“ That's
so cold,” he says weakly.
“ Metal
skeletons tend to do that,” Renee replies. “Don't worry
Bobby, you're in good hands. When you plug in to Solipsis, you'll
have more fun than you've ever had in your life. Just think about
playing real first-person video games, never again being in pain,
never needing to be afraid, never being hungry, and living...forever.
How's that sound?”
“ Too
good to be true,” Bobby replies.
“ It's
real.”
“ Is
it really worth it? Maybe I should just die and get it over with,
before I lose my soul and become just some machine.”
“ I
don't know where you got that idea, but it's wrong. Let me tell you.
This place is great.”
“ Renee,”
Dr. Graeme beckons.
“ See
you around,” Renee says to Bobby before following the doctor
into the hallway.
“ What
are you doing?”
“ Just
trying to ease his mind,” Renee replies.
“ You
don't want to get close to these people,” Dr. Graeme says
sternly. “I'm going to have this boy's life in my hands,
literally. The less I know about him, the better. He needs to be just
another patient to you, no different from those simulated patients.
If you get too involved, you'll get too nervous, and you'll slip. Got
it?”
“ I
guess,” Renee replies.
“ Did
you just roll your eyes at me?”
“ No.
Well, maybe.”
“ This
is serious.”
17
Renee
and Patrick walk on clouds, hand-in-hand. They hop down to a lower
cloud and find themselves in a secluded part of their very own sky.
It's just the two of them and a picturesque
heavenly view. This is a program within Solipsis. Just as some are
used for advanced role playing games, others for training, this one
is used to manipulate your senses in other ways. This cloud world
manipulates your nerve endings to enhance the pleasurable feelings of
physical stimuli.
“ I
don't know, are you sure you're ready?” Patrick asks. His
avatar has been upgraded, very muscular.
“ I'm
definitely ready for this,” Renee says. They stand awkwardly a
meter apart. Renee waits for Patrick to make a move, but he looks
down at his feet.
“ Did
it start yet? I don't feel different,” he says. Renee rubs her
fingertips across her neck and shudders.
“ Oh,
it's started,” Renee giggles. Patrick still makes no move.
Renee walks to him, closing the distance in short brave steps. She
kisses him on the cheek. He kisses back, but clearly Renee is taking
the lead. Making out, she practically tackles him to the soft cloud,
straddling him and tugging his shirt up.
“ Wait,
I'm not sure,” he meekly interrupts. Renee rips the shirt
fabric open and puts her hands on his statue-like chest. “Can
you stop for a half-second?” Renee grabs Patrick's hands and
presses them to her enhanced breasts. While his avatar looks mature,
the look in his eyes belong clearly to those of a scared boy. “I
said stop!” He pushes Renee away from him. He scoots away from
her, hugging his knees, eyes welling up with tears.
“ You're
never going to grow up are you?” Renee says, looking into his
scared eyes. He's clearly upset by her remark. He jumps to his feet
to leave. “Come on it's all imaginary!” Renee shouts.
Patrick
turns back, face bright red, to reply “I'm not imaginary!”
“ Virtual,
simulated, imaginary, whatever,” Renee replies.
“ I
think we should just be imaginary friends,” Patrick says
angrily and storms off, jumping to a nearby cloud and disappearing.
“ Wait!”
Renee shouts, running through a crowded street in downtown Solipsis.
Impossible skyscrapers of glass and steel dominate the urban core.
With no need for transit, thanks to televators, the city is more of a
community space. The streets are filled with people. Street
performers show off new skills, music, art pieces. Vendors peddle
their virtual wares. Patrick runs through the crowd, away from Renee.
She loses him, but then spots him ducking
boy. She puts her hand on his hot forehead.
“ That's
so cold,” he says weakly.
“ Metal
skeletons tend to do that,” Renee replies. “Don't worry
Bobby, you're in good hands. When you plug in to Solipsis, you'll
have more fun than you've ever had in your life. Just think about
playing real first-person video games, never again being in pain,
never needing to be afraid, never being hungry, and living...forever.
How's that sound?”
“ Too
good to be true,” Bobby replies.
“ It's
real.”
“ Is
it really worth it? Maybe I should just die and get it over with,
before I lose my soul and become just some machine.”
“ I
don't know where you got that idea, but it's wrong. Let me tell you.
This place is great.”
“ Renee,”
Dr. Graeme beckons.
“ See
you around,” Renee says to Bobby before following the doctor
into the hallway.
“ What
are you doing?”
“ Just
trying to ease his mind,” Renee replies.
“ You
don't want to get close to these people,” Dr. Graeme says
sternly. “I'm going to have this boy's life in my hands,
literally. The less I know about him, the better. He needs to be just
another patient to you, no different from those simulated patients.
If you get too involved, you'll get too nervous, and you'll slip. Got
it?”
“ I
guess,” Renee replies.
“ Did
you just roll your eyes at me?”
“ No.
Well, maybe.”
“ This
is serious.”
17
Renee
and Patrick walk on clouds, hand-in-hand. They hop down to a lower
cloud and find themselves in a secluded part of their very own sky.
It's just the two of them and a picturesque
heavenly view. This is a program within Solipsis. Just as some are
used for advanced role playing games, others for training, this one
is used to manipulate your senses in other ways. This cloud world
manipulates your nerve endings to enhance the pleasurable feelings of
physical stimuli.
“ I
don't know, are you sure you're ready?” Patrick asks. His
avatar has been upgraded, very muscular.
“ I'm
definitely ready for this,” Renee says. They stand awkwardly a
meter apart. Renee waits for Patrick to make a move, but he looks
down at his feet.
“ Did
it start yet? I don't feel different,” he says. Renee rubs her
fingertips across her neck and shudders.
“ Oh,
it's started,” Renee giggles. Patrick still makes no move.
Renee walks to him, closing the distance in short brave steps. She
kisses him on the cheek. He kisses back, but clearly Renee is taking
the lead. Making out, she practically tackles him to the soft cloud,
straddling him and tugging his shirt up.
“ Wait,
I'm not sure,” he meekly interrupts. Renee rips the shirt
fabric open and puts her hands on his statue-like chest. “Can
you stop for a half-second?” Renee grabs Patrick's hands and
presses them to her enhanced breasts. While his avatar looks mature,
the look in his eyes belong clearly to those of a scared boy. “I
said stop!” He pushes Renee away from him. He scoots away from
her, hugging his knees, eyes welling up with tears.
“ You're
never going to grow up are you?” Renee says, looking into his
scared eyes. He's clearly upset by her remark. He jumps to his feet
to leave. “Come on it's all imaginary!” Renee shouts.
Patrick
turns back, face bright red, to reply “I'm not imaginary!”
“ Virtual,
simulated, imaginary, whatever,” Renee replies.
“ I
think we should just be imaginary friends,” Patrick says
angrily and storms off, jumping to a nearby cloud and disappearing.
“ Wait!”
Renee shouts, running through a crowded street in downtown Solipsis.
Impossible skyscrapers of glass and steel dominate the urban core.
With no need for transit, thanks to televators, the city is more of a
community space. The streets are filled with people. Street
performers show off new skills, music, art pieces. Vendors peddle
their virtual wares. Patrick runs through the crowd, away from Renee.
She loses him, but then spots him ducking
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